WAIT, Why Am I Talking?

You walk into meetings and dump information as fast as possible. You feel awkward when silence hits, prompting you to keep talking. You talk faster to escape discomfort, assuming everyone follows your rapid-fire delivery. WAIT. You're sabotaging your influence.

Without listener interaction, you have no idea what your audience needs, what questions they have or if they understand and agree. Messages focused only on your objectives never influence others. Research shows that strategic silence demonstrates thoughtfulness and introspection, while rushing to fill quiet moments prevents meaningful connection.

Before rushing to fill the silence and risk confusing your listener, consider the acronym W.A.I.T. and ask yourself, "Why Am I Talking?"

WAIT: Your New Meeting Strategy

Successful leaders WAIT before speaking. They understand that silence has power. When you WAIT, you create space for others to process, respond and engage authentically.

Communicate in short, clear and concise sentences. Nothing confuses listeners more than never-ending sentences that repeat what you've already said. Instead, deliver each key point and WAIT. Give your listeners time to respond.

Resist the urge to elaborate. Ask one question and WAIT for responses. Allow your listener time to process the question and think through what they may ask. Your discomfort with silence doesn't justify robbing others of thinking space.

Invite Interaction, Then WAIT Again

Offer opportunities for your listeners to speak by asking open-ended questions such as "What questions do you have about this topic?" or  "What are your thoughts on this approach?" Then WAIT. Give listeners genuine time to formulate thoughtful responses.

Most leaders ask questions and then immediately answer them. This habit undermines engagement and suggests that you don't want input. WAIT demonstrates respect for others' perspectives.

Make Eye Contact and WAIT

Only speak when you see your listeners' eyes. This connection allows you to read their reactions and adapt your message accordingly. When you notice confusion or disagreement, pause for a moment. Create space for clarification rather than plowing ahead.

Strategic silence builds trust faster than constant talking. When you WAIT, you show confidence in your message and respect for your audience's intelligence.

Pause before interjecting to transform meetings from one-way conversations to genuine back-and-forth dialogue. Your listeners will appreciate the space to think, process and contribute.

Stop fearing silence. Start leveraging its power to influence conversations and motivate others to act.